In an interview with PIA, Dr. Lumawag said Juvy Montesoso from Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur reportedly died after jumping from the sixth floor of the building where she is working as a receptionist.

Lumawag said a thorough investigation is currently being conducted by local authorities in Kuwait and result of the investigation will be revealed soon. She also said after results of the investigation have been released, Philippine Embassy will immediately report the details to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and OWWA.

“Right now, police officers in Kuwait are still investigating the case and as soon as investigation is finished, the Philippine Embassy will immediately submit the report to OWWA and DFA regarding the incident,” Lumawag said.

When asked what assistance the OWWA can give to the victim’s family, the regional OWWA chief said the agency will extend assistance for the transfer of the victim’s remains from Kuwait until it will be brought to their residence in Bayugan City.

Lumawag said, Montesoso’s aunt, Mrs. Virginia B. Serrano informed OWWA-Caraga on August 9 to 11 regarding the incident. Accordingly, her niece died on August 5, 2011 after committing suicide by jumping on the sixth floor of the building where she is working. (PIA-Caraga)

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 17 (PIA) --‎"Only when we fully understand the importance of nature, we will also be able to give value, love and dare to care in order to protect our home - the living earth”.

This was declared by Dr. Nereus "Neric" Acosta, who is the guest speaker of the 2nd series of lecture on Political Will & Grassroots Movements: Proferred Solutions to the Caraga Region's Peace & Environmental Problems, spearheaded by the Father Saturnino Urios University (FSUU) Policy Center headed by Atty. Josefe Sorrera-Ty, Executive Director, held Tuesday, Aug. 16 at the AVR-1 FSUU Main Campus, this City attended by representatives from government line agencies, teachers from different schools, and some members of the local tri-media.

Acosta also said that giving equal importance to "Ecology" & "Economy" for people to survive is the best thing that we can do to cope with this changing world.

“In this sense, the government should not only focus to what the economy can do to us but also must look into the importance of the ecology where we get our resources from nature so we can live and enjoy life peacefully, without being destructive to the environment,” Acosta emphasized.

Dr. Acosta calls on all Caraganons to plant trees, and always apply the proper solid waste management, and other ways that could be beneficial to both people and the environment.

When asked what the government must do to eradicate illegal logging especially in Caraga, Dr. Acosta said that the government with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) who is tasked to formulate and implement policies, guidelines, rules and regulations relating to environmental management and pollution prevention and control must really enforce the Executive Order No. 23 otherwise known as the total log ban which was signed by Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III.

Aside from that, the government should also goal for an economically enabling society, wherein people are given incentives thru the ‘Tree Certificates’ if they preserve the environment and plant trees in their community so they will no longer indulge into such acts of illegal logging. And with this, the more certificates that they will have, the more incentives they will receive from the government with aide from non-government organizations abroad.

Most importantly, the government with the Department of Education (DepEd) should intensify its information campaign to students on the environmental issues and concerns so students will know its value and would initiate activities that could help the environment, and if possible put up a nursery area in every preschool.

Dr. Acosta who was formerly a Representative of Bukidnon authored the Clean Air Act of 1999, the 2004 Clean Water Act and the 2001 Solid Waste Management Act.(PIA-Caraga)

CSC spearheads celebration of the 111th Phil. Civil Service Anniversary

by Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 17 (PIA) -- The Civil Service Commission will be spearheading 111th Philippine Civil Service anniversary (PCSA) celebration on September 2011.

This year’s theme: “Championing R.A.C.E: Public Service Excellence at Full Speed,” urges civil servants nationwide to respond to the call for change and be servant-heroes (lingkod bayani) by joining CSC in building a responsive, accessible, courteous and effective public service or R.A.C.E.

According to CSC-Caraga Regional Director Adams Torres, this year’s celebration is anchored on President Benigno S. Aquino III’s call for reform, ‘daang matuwid’, and on his pledge to implement change in government.

“The anniversary celebration aims to showcase and celebrate reforms and milestones of government agencies as they fulfill their respective mandates,” Torres said.

In giving highlight to the PCSA celebration, the CSC has lined-up activities like the Honor Awards Program (HAP) Rites for the 2011 President Lingkod Bayan, Dangal ng Bayan, and CSC Pagasa Awardees and Fun Run, and PCSA contests like - Give It Your Best Shot! Photography Contest, Government Chorale Competition, Essay Writing Contest and Digital Book Cover Contest.

State employees in all government agencies and instrumentalities are enjoined to actively participate in the activities and contests stated below to be undertaken at the national, regional and agency levels. (PIA-Caraga)

“There are certain provisions that upon reflection are not necessary to achieve the desired aims and that is what we have tried to achieve with the consensus of the processes with the legislature,” ang Pangulo miingon.

“This provision will be modified so that those that are church-based hospitals can practice their faith in recognition of freedom of religion enshrined under Article 3 of the Constitution,” ang Pangulo mingon.

“So there were not less than 10 proposed amendments that will go through the process (in Congress), such as plenary hall debates, but I think we are in agreement that we can fine-tune (the RP/RH bill) to improve the proposed version,” dugang pa niya. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)